Compact abdominal exerciser

Abstract

A compact portable abdominal exercise apparatus is provided and includes an upper body member slidingly received by a lower body member. A resistance member is attached between the upper body member and the lower body member to provide resistance to relative motion of the upper and lower body members in a first direction. The lower body member is adapted to engage a chair or other sitting platform, either between the legs of a user or on either side of the user's body adjacent a thigh. The size of the exercise apparatus positions the user in an ergonomic position that permits the user to perform oblique crunches downward and to either side, or forward if the lower body member is positioned between the user's legs, to exercise all of the abdominal muscles. A slideable cover protects the user from moving parts associated with the exercise apparatus.

1 . A compact abdominal exercise apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a lower body member adapted to engage a seating platform on which a user is seated;    (b) an upper body member adapted to engage a portion of the user above the abdomen;    (c) a constraint assembly connecting said lower body member and said upper body member, said constraint assembly permitting relative motion of said lower body member and said upper body member in a first direction along a line connecting said lower body member and said upper body member and preventing relative motion of said lower body member and said upper body member in directions perpendicular to said first direction;    (d) a first anchor notch operably associated with the lower body member;    (e) a second anchor notch operably associated with the upper body member;    (f) a resilient cord connectable between said first anchor notch and said second anchor notch to provide resistance to relative motion of said lower and upper body members in said first direction; and    (g) wherein the length of said exercise apparatus from a distal end of said lower body member to a proximal end of said upper body member is such as to permit oblique crunches when said lower body member engages the seating platform.    
   
   
       2 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said length is between twenty-two and twenty-eight inches.  
   
   
       3 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said length is between twenty-three and a half and twenty-seven inches.  
   
   
       4 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said length is between twenty-five and twenty-six inches.  
   
   
       5 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the longest dimension of said lower body member perpendicular to said length is between three inches and eleven inches.  
   
   
       6 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the longest dimension of said lower body member perpendicular to said length is between five inches and nine inches.  
   
   
       7 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the longest dimension of said lower body member perpendicular to said length is between six inches and eight inches.  
   
   
       8 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a slideable protective cover for substantially enclosing said resilient cord.  
   
   
       9 . A compact abdominal exercise apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a lower body member adapted to engage a portion of a seating platform on which a user is seated;    (b) an upper body member adapted to engage a portion of the user's body above the abdomen, the upper body member connected to the lower body member such that relative motion of said lower body member and said upper body member is permitted in at least a first direction along a longitudinal line connecting said lower body member and said upper body member and prevented in directions perpendicular to said first direction;    (c) a resistance member operably attached to the lower body member and the upper body member to resist but not prevent relative motion of said lower body member and said upper body member in said first direction, said resistance member contained within a resistance cavity; and    (d) a protective cover slidingly disposed on at least one of the upper body member and the lower body member to substantially enclose said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in a closed position and to allow access to said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in an open position.    
   
   
       10 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 9  wherein placing said protective cover in the open position allows said resistance member to be disengaged from providing resistance to relative motion of the upper and lower body members.  
   
   
       11 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the length of said exercise apparatus from a distal end of said lower body member to a proximal end of said upper body member is such as to permit oblique crunches when said lower body member engages the seating platform.  
   
   
       12 . A compact abdominal exercise apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a first body member having a first chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a first wall having inner and outer surfaces;    (b) a plurality of rails disposed on the inner surface of the first wall substantially parallel to a first longitudinal axis of the first chamber;    (c) a slider guide disposed on the inner surface of the first wall between at least two of the rails;    (d) a second body member having a second chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a second wall having inner and outer surfaces, the second body member further having an end cap formed at one end of the second chamber, the end cap having a second anchor notch, the second body member being received by the first chamber of the first body member such that the outer surface of the second body member engages the plurality of rails within the first chamber;    (e) a slider slot formed in the wall of the second body member substantially parallel to a second longitudinal axis of the second chamber, the slider slot receiving the slider guide to permit relative motion of the first and second body members in a first direction parallel to the first and second longitudinal axes and to prevent relative motion of the first and second body members in directions substantially perpendicular to the first direction;    (f) an anchor body positioned within the second chamber of the second body member and connected to the slider guide of the first body member, the anchor body having a first anchor notch; and    (g) a single resistance member operably attached to the first anchor notch and the second anchor notch to resist but not prevent relative motion of the first body member and the second body member in the first direction.    
   
   
       13 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said resistance member is contained within a resistance cavity, and said exercise apparatus further comprises a protective cover slidingly disposed on at least one of the first body member and the second body member to substantially enclose said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in a closed position and to allow access to said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in an open position.  
   
   
       14 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 12  wherein: 
 the first body member is adapted to engage a seating platform on which a user is seated; and    the second body member is adapted to engage a portion of the user's body above the abdomen.    
   
   
       15 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the length of said exercise apparatus from a distal end of said first body member to a proximal end of said second body member is such as to permit oblique crunches when said first body member engages the seating platform.  
   
   
       16 . A compact abdominal exercise apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a first body member having a first chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a first wall having inner and outer surfaces;    (b) a second body member having a second chamber at least partially surrounded along its length by a second wall having inner and outer surfaces, the second body member further having an end cap formed at one end of the second chamber, the end cap having a second anchor notch, the second body member being slidingly received by the first chamber of the first body member, the first and second body members being capable of relative motion in a first direction between an uncompressed position and a compressed position;    (c) a slider slot formed in the wall of the second body member;    (d) an anchor body positioned within the second chamber of the second body member and connected to the first body member through the slider slot, the anchor body having opposing ramp members attached to a base plate, each opposing ramp member having a graduated upper edge transitioning from the base plate at one end of the anchor body to an end plate at an opposite end of the anchor body, the end plate having a first anchor notch;    (e) a resistance member configured for positioning in an engaged state in which a first end of the resistance member engages the second anchor notch and a second end of the resistance member engages the first anchor notch to resist but not prevent relative motion of the first body member and the second body member in the first direction, the resistance member further configured for positioning in a disengaged state in which the first end of the resistance member resides in the first chamber and the second end of the resistance member engages the second anchor notch; and    (f) wherein the ramp members of the anchor body bias the second end of the resistance member outward for easier grasping by a user when the resistance member is in a disengaged state and the first and second body members are moved into the compressed position.    
   
   
       17 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said resistance member is contained within a resistance cavity, and said exercise apparatus further comprises a protective cover slidingly disposed on at least one of the first body member and the second body member to substantially enclose said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in a closed position and to allow access to said resistance cavity when said protective cover is placed in an open position.  
   
   
       18 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 16  wherein: 
 the first body member is adapted to engage a seating platform on which a user is seated; and    the second body member is adapted to engage a portion of the user's body above the abdomen.    
   
   
       19 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the length of said exercise apparatus from a distal end of said first body member to a proximal end of said second body member is such as to permit oblique crunches when said first body member engages the seating platform.  
   
   
       20 . The compact abdominal exercise apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of rails disposed on the inner surface of the first wall of the first body member to engage the outer surface of the second wall of the second body member within the first chamber.